Colorado-Kansas Set For Big Monday

Game 28 - Kansas, Monday, Feb. 24, 2025
CU Events Center, Boulder, Colo.

Tip: 9:05 p.m. MT

Watch: ESPN (Mike Monaco, Jay Williams)

Radio: KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (Mark Johnson, Scott Wilke)

Listen Online: Sirius XM 381, SXM App 971

Live Statistics: http://statb.us/b/546209

THE BUFFALOES: Colorado is 11-16 overall and 2-14 in Big 12 Conference play after defeating Baylor, 76-74, on Feb. 22. The Buffaloes have won two of three since snapping a 13-game losing streak, the program's longest since 1985-86.

The win over Baylor gave Colorado its second-straight win at the CU Events Center, rebounding from a rare six-game home skid, the longest since 1985-86. Colorado improved to 10-6 at home, cementing the 16th consecutive season with at least 10 wins at the CU Events Center.

Colorado is averaging 70.4 points per game, shooting 45.0 percent from the field, but those numbers have dipped to 66.1 points on 43.4 percent shooting during conference games. The Buffaloes have scored 76 points in each of their two Big 12 wins, their highest total in a league game this season. Colorado had four players score in double figures for just the third time this season (3-0) in the win over Baylor.

Defensively, Colorado is allowing 72.0 points per game overall while opponents are shooting 43.3 percent. During Big 12 games, Colorado is allowing 74.4 points while opponents shoot 44.7 percent.

The Buffaloes rank fourth in the Big 12 in free throw percentage (.756), sixth in defensive rebounds (25.5 drpg) and seventh in rebounding defense (33.0 rpg). During Big 12 games, Colorado is in the top half of the league in free throw percentage (4th, .749), blocked shots (7th, 3.8 bpg), rebounding defense (8th, 33.8 rpg) and defensive rebounds (7th, 23.8 drpg).

Against Baylor, Colorado shot 84.0 percent from the free throw line (21-25) rebounding from its lowest performance in Big 12 play at Iowa State (13-22, .591). The Buffaloes also matched its Big 12 season high for 3-pointers made with nine (at Arizona, Houston) and tied for second overall (12 vs. CSU Fullerton).

Julian Hammond III, the most experienced player in terms of games for the Buffaloes (played in his 115th career game vs. Baylor), leads Colorado at 12.9 points and 3.1 assists per game. Hammond also tops the Buffaloes in steals (33), 3-point field goals made (45), free throws made (73) and free throw percentage (.901).

Hammond is second in the Big 12 and ranks 15th in the nation in free throw percentage. He has made 73 of 81 on the season (.901) which includes consecutive made streaks of 21 (between UNC and UCF) and 18 which ended against Cincinnati. Hammond tops the Big 12 in conference games at 88.5 percent.

Recently, Hammond has picked up his rebounding numbers. He is averaging 4.3 rebounds over the last three games, including five against Baylor. He has 13 total in that span after having just two over the four games before that.

Hammond had a game-high 22 points against Houston, highlighted by a career-best five 3-point field goals. It was his team-best sixth 20-point game of the season.

Andrej Jakimovski, a four-year standout at old Pac-12 rival Washington State, is averaging 10.2 points ranking second on the team in 3-point field goals (41) and rebounding (4.5 rpg) and is third in steals (23).

Jakimovski is averaging 14.0 points and 6.0 rebounds while shooting 53.6 percent from the field (15-28) the last three games. He had 17 points, hitting 5 of 9 from downtown, seven rebounds and five assists against Baylor. It was his 12th double-figure scoring game of the season and led the Buffs for the sixth time.

Jakimovski's five assists are his CU best, and tied for this third-best collegiate game overall. He had back-to-back nine assist games as a freshman with Washington State against California and Stanford, Feb. 18 & 20, 2021. His five 3-pointers tied a career high, done twice this season (CSU Fullerton) and five times overall (three with WSU).

Elijah Malone, the 2024 Bevo Francis Award winner as the best small-school player in the nation (Grace College [Ind.] - NAIA) tops the Buffaloes in shooting at 57.1 percent while averaging 7.7 points an outing. Malone is third on the team in blocks (14), fourth in scoring and fifth in rebounding at 2.9 per game.

Malone had his best offensive game of the Big 12 season at Kansas. He had 10 points on 5 of 7 from the field. Against Harvard, he went over the 2,000-point milestone for his collegiate career.

Trevor Baskin, an NCAA Division II All-American at Colorado Mesa, leads Colorado in rebounding (4.8 rpg), is second in steals (29), blocks (17) and third in overall shooting at 50.7 percent.

Baskin led Colorado at Arizona State with a personal CU-high 23 points on 9 of 14 from the field. He added a game-high 10 rebounds for his second CU double-double and 24th overall in his collegiate career. It was also his 24th collegiate 20-point scoring game.

Baskin flirted with a triple-double against Pacific, finishing with 13 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists. His seven assists were a team season-high and were an overall collegiate personal best (he had six in a game at New Mexico Highlands on Feb. 23, 2024).

Bangot Dak is averaging 7.9 points and 3.9 rebounds per game while shooting 50.3 percent from the field and leading the Buffaloes in blocked shots (39). During conference games, Dak is Colorado's leading shooter (.519), rebounder (4.4 rpg) and shot blocker (30) and ranks third in scoring at 9.0 points per game.

Dak scored a game and career-high 20 points on 8 for 14 shooting at Iowa State. He had 11 points, three rebounds and a pair of blocks at Kansas. Dak is averaging 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 blocks over the last eight games.

Dak just missed a double-double with nine points and a career and team season-high 12 rebounds at TCU. It was his first double-figure rebounding game of his career.

Dak is seventh in the Big 12 in overall blocked shots (1.4 bpg) and fourth in league only games (1.9 bpg). He ranks 91st in the nation in total blocks (39).

Javon Ruffin is averaging 5.8 points and ranks second on the team in assists (52) and fourth in 3-point field goals (22). He led the Buffaloes in scoring for the first time this season with 13 at Utah while matching a personal best with three 3-point field goals.

Freshman Sebastian Rancik is averaging 6.0 points on the season, but since entering the starting lineup against Arizona State he is averaging 8.8 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. Rancik had 10 points and six rebounds in the win over Baylor. He averaged 14.5 points and 8.0 rebounds during the two-game span at Kansas and home vs. UCF. Rancik had a career-night at Kansas leading the Buffaloes with 19 points and nine rebounds, both personal bests.

Sophomore Assane Diop is averaging 3.9 points and is third on the team in rebounding at 4.1 per game. Diop matched his career-best 10 rebounds in the win over UCF, also hitting that mark against Northern Colorado. Diop has made 33 of 40 free throw attempts during the conference season (.825).

Sophomore RJ Smith is averaging 5.5 points and leads the team in 3-point percentage (.391), while ranking third in 3-pointers made (27), fourth in assists (49) and fifth in steals (18). Smith had 13 points against Baylor recording his fifth career double-figure scoring game and fourth this year. He had a blocked shot for the fifth-straight game with six overall during that span. He had two blocks in his first 28 career games.

Colorado received strong contributions off the bench at Iowa State. Sophomore Harrison Carrington recorded his first double-digit scoring game with a career-best 11 points on 4 of 5 from the field. Freshman Felix Kossaras led the Buffaloes in rebounding with a career-best five along with three points and a pair of assists. Kossaras had recorded just two rebounds in the previous eight Big 12 games he had appeared in.

ABOUT THE JAYHAWKS: No. 23 (AP) / No. 25 (USAT) Kansas is 18-9 overall and sixth in the Big 12 at 9-7. The Jayhawks bounced back from a two-game skid with a 96-64 win over Oklahoma State at Allen Fieldhouse on Feb. 22. The Jayhawks are 3-7 in true road games this season and have lost their last four. Kansas averages 76.1 points while shooting 47.3 percent from the field. The Jayhawks rank second in the Big 12 and seventh in the country in assists at 17.9 per game. Defensively, Kansas allows 67.4 points and 13th in the nation in shooting defense at 39.0 percent.

Graduate center Hunter Dickinson leads Kansas at 16.3 points and 9.7 rebounds per game. Guard Zeke Mayo averages 14.7 points with a team-best 69 3-point field goals. Dajuan Harris Jr. averages 9.7 points and leads Kansas at 5.7 assists per game.

Bill Self is in his 22nd year as the head coach at Kansas with a record of 606-152 (.799). He is in his 32nd overall as a collegiate head coach with a mark of 813-257 (.760).

THE SERIES: This will be the 166th meeting between Colorado and Kansas, the most played series in program history. The series dates back to January 1931 and was played annually from 1947 through 2011 when the teams were together in the Big Seven/Big Eight/Big 12 Conferences. It's the first meeting in Boulder since Colorado's memorable 75-72 win over Kansas on Dec. 7, 2013, decided on a 30-foot shot at the buzzer by Askia Booker. Kansas holds a 125-40 all-time lead in the series including a 40-27 advantage in Boulder.

Tad Boyle is 1-6 against Kansas as a head coach. Bill Self is 20-1 against Colorado as a head coach.

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Players Mentioned

Trevor Baskin

Harrison Carrington

Bangot Dak

Assane Diop

Julian Hammond III

Andrej Jakimovski

Felix Kossaras

Elijah Malone

Sebastian Rancik

Javon Ruffin

RJ Smith